Making a difference for American Lung Association

Wendi J. Koch of the Town of Niagara and Mark Plunkett from Wheatfield headed a team that raised $4,200 for the Lung Association.

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by
Susan Mikula Campbell

For
the second year, Town of Niagara resident Wendi J. Koch climbed the
stairs of the 38-floor One HSBC Center in Buffalo for her father.

In
doing so, she became the fourth top fundraiser in the annual Fight
For Air Climb on March 9, sponsored by the American Lung Association
of the Northeast. She raised $1,510.

The
Veterans Heights resident and her boyfriend Mark Plunkett from
Wheatfield headed a team of climbers that raised $4,200, was fourth
in team ranking and came in third for company fundraiser (the team
participated under the name of World Gym because some of its team
members work there and a few others have memberships there).

"I
do the event and raise money in memory of my dad, Wayne Koch, who
died when he was only 46 years old from lung cancer in 1996," said
Koch, a 1990 graduate of Niagara-Wheatfield High School, who now is
an English teacher at Lockport's North Park Junior High.

"My
father's death has inspired me to do many things, including
becoming a teacher, but generally to be a better person over all and
attempt make a difference in this world. He was a wonderful man;
awesome dad, excellent husband to my mother, and an extremely hard
worker," Koch said. "Yes, he was a smoker. He quit smoking four
years before he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He also spent 21
years of his life working in a carbon plant in Niagara Falls."

Almost
all of her team members made it all the way up the 800 steps. Two
team members won medals in their age categories. Koch, still nursing
a bruised ankle from last fall, finished the climb in 8:24 minutes.

"Many
participants, who are active runners commented that running a 5K or
even an 8K in winter is easier than running up those stairs," said
Koch, who kept herself calm while climbing by listening to Pink
Floyd. "Climbing real stairs takes your breath away so much quicker
than any of the cardio machines at the gym."

Another
distraction that helped going up were all the volunteers stationed at
different floors, cheering the climbers on, she said.

Overall,
The Fight for Air Climb at One HSBC Center raised $90,000 for the
Lung Association's research, education and advocacy efforts,
according to Kathleen O'Neill, communications manager for the
American Lung Association of the Northeast. This third annual Fight
for Air Climb in Buffalo had 340 climbers participate.

"We
definitely are planning to have the event again next year," O'Neill
said.

The total time it took Koch's
whole team to make the climb was 31 minutes and 55 seconds

Other
members of the Koch team and their results included:

Mark
Plunkett, co-captain, who raised $100 and finished in 6:12. His
daughter Allison raised $100 and finished in 9:15. His son Adam
raised $50 and finished in 9:33. Maghan Hartman (Adam's fiancée)
raised $5 and finished in 13:56.

Jay
White from Sanborn, Mark's son-in-law-raised $100 and finished in
6:28. Sara Whit from Sanborn, Jay's wife and Mark's daughter, was
injured and unable to climb but still raised $65.

Linda
Nash from Amherst raised $250 and finished in 7:22. Beth Manning from
the Town of Niagara raised $245 and finished in 13:36. Jennifer
Przybylski from North Tonawanda finished in 8:08. Kurt Amico from
Buffalo raised $1,330 and finished in 8:27. Kim Potter from Lockport
raised $190 and finished in 10:13. Caitlyn Lunderman from Sanborn
raised $45 and finished in 10:47.

Ben
Pearson of Niagara Falls raised $50 and finished in 5 minutes even.
Melissa Infantino from the Town of Niagara raised $25 and finished in
8:04.

Tammy
Skurski from Lewiston raised $100 and finished in 6:53.

Coral
Piontkowski from the Niagara Falls/Wheatfield area, was unable to
make it to event but raised $35.